In conventional Local Search systems, users who are looking for items or services nearby are able to search only for businesses. For example, conventional systems allow a user to search for a pharmacy nearby if they are suffering from a headache and need a painkiller. However, conventional systems are only able to find items or services that are offered by businesses. Typically, these systems do not provide a way to find other people (rather than businesses), who might be willing and able to provide such item or service, often for free. Therefore, a user seeking to find another person nearby who can lend a phone charger or a pill of Aspirin is unable to do so using existing solutions.
Existing approaches to this problem include use of local search services and help forums on social networks. However, some shortcomings of these approaches include: difficulty in finding individuals who might be able to help as opposed to businesses; unable to borrow items rather than buying; difficult to direct the request only to people who are likely to be able to help, nearby, or willing to help with a specific request; difficult to reach potential helpers on the same social network but who are not directly connected; difficult to reach potential helpers on a different social network; and difficult to direct the request to the relevant specialists able to help, nearby, or willing to help with a specific request.